The Art of being a Courtesan
by Ghosts of the Past
Summary: Caspian has won the war and returns alive, much to the joy of his long-time friend, Elaria. She is beautiful and elegant and she captured the eye of the High King. The only problem is now she has to deal with a jealous friend and jealous clients. Will she fall for the High King of Narnia? Or will she find herself falling for her best friend?
1. A Night of Celebrations

**"Dangerous Beauty" A really great movie. I suggest you watch it. This story is based off of the movie. Please don't' forget to leave a review.**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

The sun was setting, casting its golden red rays across the sky, but the sound of laughter and music was hanging in the air.

The newly crowned King Caspian, along with the Kings and Queens of Old, were celebrating their victory over King Caspian's Uncle. The whole kingdom was rejoicing in celebration as they clamored to the streets to greet the rightful King.

The royals made their way up the stairs of the Telmarine Castle. They turned around and waved to the deafening crowd. Slowly as the night rolled on, the party started to pick up. Music was playing while the people of the court were laughing and dancing, talking without a worry. The Kings sat on their thrones while the young Queens danced to their hearts content.

King Caspian looked around the main hall and soon spotted his childhood friend. Elaria. He was slightly surprised to see her surrounded by men of the Telmarine court. He could hear her laughter from across the room. Their eyes slowly connected to each others. She smiled with a flirtatious grin which he returned with a small smile and a growing laughter. King Caspian stood up from his throne and made his way down the steps. As he stood the musicians stopped playing and people stopped dancing.

"Please keep playing." King Caspian shouted out. The music resumed and chatter continued. Caspian quickly walked over to the small group of men.

"Excuse me gentlemen." Elaria's voice spoke out. The men bowed to the lady and quietly left her with the new King.

"You always were the jealous type." Elaria said with a soft smile. Caspian offered Elaria his arm. She gladly took his waiting arm, joining the two together. As Caspian led Elaria around the Palace he realized how much they had changed over the years since they were young.

"How have you been?" Caspian asked as they walked down a corridor with arched windows made of stone.

"I have been well your Majesty. If I may ask, how is your Majesty fairing?" Elaria asked looking up at her old friend. Caspian cracked a smile.

"I am doing well, although I wish you would stop calling me Your Majesty." Caspian said slightly nudging Elaria. Now it was her turn to break out into a smile. She nodded her head.

"Very well I won't do it anymore, as long as you agree that this new Kingship of yours will not ruin our friendship?" Elaria looked at him quizzically. Caspian let out a light laughter. He thought to himself 'She hasn't changed a bit.' Elaria turned to him waiting for an answer.

"Yes, I agree to that. This new responsibility will not change our relationship." A smile broke out on both of their faces. Elaria wrapped her arms around Caspian's neck; he picked her up and swung her around. He then released her from her entrapment.

"Race you to the bell tower." Elaria said. And without a warning she ran off to the end of the hallway and quickly up the stairs. She had Caspian on her tail.

Although the north wing of the Castle was empty they rang out with the loud laughter and footsteps of Caspian and Elaria. Soon two figures had reached the top of the north tower.

"Beat you here." Elaria said breathing heavily. She leaned against the stone cold wall, exposing her neck as she tilted her head back.

"Or maybe I let you win." Caspian was hunched over, one hand on the wall, trying to catch his breath.

"But where's all the fun in that?" Elaria's breathing was starting to catch up with her. She pushed herself away from the wall and then loudly rang the bell. Caspian looked at her. Elaria smiled at the dumbfounded King. She rang the bell once more before walking over to the window and shouting out.

"LONG LIVE THE KING!" Elaria was leaning over the windowsill as Caspian came up next to her and asked.

"What was that all about?" Elaria didn't say anything but instead pointed out to the darkened sky. For a moment there was nothing but in a blink of an eye the sky was bursting with bright colors. Caspian's face was frozen in amazement. An amused smile was on Elaria's face as she watched Caspian's reaction.

"Do you like it?" She asked the stunned King as she leaned against the windowsill.

"I love it, Elaria. Thank you." Caspian's smile grew bigger and he placed a kiss on Elaria's cheek.

"Congratulations. Your Majesty." Elaria said giving her best friend a hug. They stayed there for a few more minutes before Caspian pointed out that if they disappeared for too long people would talk. Elaria smiled and said.

"Don't they always?"

Caspian shrugged his shoulders as they turned to leave their secret hideaway. Slowly they retraced their steps back to the ballroom with the celebration party was still going on.

"It was a pleasure Your Majesty." Elaria said as she curtsied to Caspian, who bowed to Elaria.

"The pleasure is all mine, milady." With a knowing smile and glance they parted ways for the night. Elaria was once again surrounded by noble men of the court. Caspian once again sat on his throne as she watched his courtiers' dance, laugh, and eat. The night was young and the party was only just beginning.

* * *

**Please don't forget to leave a review. No Flames. Thanks again. **


	2. Royal Meetings

**"Dangerous Beauty" A really great movie. I suggest you watch it. This story is based off of the movie. Please don't' forget to leave a review.**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

The celebrations lasted three days. After it was all over, everything seemed to go back to normal. Caspian assumed the role of the King of the Narnia and the Telmarines. The Kings and Queens of Old stayed to help with reconstructing the Kingdom's economy. The Telmarine city was grateful of the lowered taxes that Miraz had placed upon them. King Caspian was running the Telmarine Kingdom with a fair and just hand, according to High King Peter.

Elaria lazily walked around the Palace gardens, taking in the view of the Kingdom's bustling city. She missed the excitement of the city's market, the young children running wild and free of any constraint, the smells of the bakery and spices. Every since the start of the War of the Three Kings, Elaria had been kept inside as was the rest of the court. Her mother warned her that it was a dangerous time for anybody who dared crossed 'King' Miraz. He was a vile and dangerously ambitious man. If he wanted anything, he made sure that he got what he wanted. One of those things that he wanted was her. Elaria. She was a budding young woman of the Court and because of her beauty; she had capture the attention of the tyrant King.

Her mother brought it to her attention that Elaria's father had drank away any money they had left. If the King favored Elaria she was going to use it to her advantage. So her mother taught her the way of a Courtesan. Elaria was a top courtesan. She was a quick learner. Within two months she had gained enough wealth to supply her family with her dowry and pay for her brother's position fee. Her brother, Antonio, worked for King Caspian's private secretary of state. It was a tough position for her brother to secure, but with good connections from Elaria's clients she was able to get him the job. It was only a matter of time before the War was to be over and things would return to normal. But Elaria had changed drastically. She was no longer the shy and quiet girl before the war. She was brave and witty, will to challenge anyone who was will to draw swords.

"Milady?" A voice called out. Elaria was pulled out of the trance of memories and turned to find the source of the voice.

"Your Grace, it is an honor to be standing before you." Elaria said, sweeping herself into a deep curtsy.

"Please, the pleasure is all mine. May I ask what a beautiful lady like yourself is doing out in the gardens?" High King Peter asks. Elaria smiled and pointed in the views direction of the city

"The city's market it a wonderful place to visit during the spring. The market is filled with wonderful smells, the children run around laughing and causing all sorts of trouble." Elaria's smile turned into a dreamer's glaze.

"It sounds as though you are quite familiar with the city's market square. May I know how the lady came to know the market square so well?" King Peter asked, walking closer to the ledge that Elaria was resting her palms

"Anything that shall please the High King. When I was younger I would sneak out of the Palace grounds and play with the children. I remember smelling the fresh pastries that were baked every morning. The sound of vendors selling their goods. I love it." Elaria said with a smile on her face. Her eyes were casted into a glaze. In her mind she was far away from the Castle grounds and she was running around, laughing and playing with the younger children of the market square. Most of the kids that she played with, when she was younger, were children who had lost their parents to war, disease, poverty and more. It broke her heart to see how young the children would be, the ones she played with as a child.

"Have you visited the Market Square recently?" High King Peter asked. Elaria once again smiled and shook her head.

"No. It has been years since I… since I ran free with the young children. The war changed the way the townspeople look at people like us. Kings and Queens, noblemen of all ranks. I lost my best friend due to the war." Elaria looked down at her hands. She remembered beginning so devastated by losing Caspian that early morning Lady Prunaprismia gave birth to Lord Miraz's son. It was the day everything changed.

"I'm sorry to hear about you friend." King Peter said resting a hand on Elaria's arm.

"It's not what you think your Majesty. My friend is alive and well. I should have told you this beforehand. My friend is King Caspian. I am very grateful that you have brought him back to me, alive and too damaged." Elaria said, picking up on King's Peter misunderstanding. Elaria bit down on her lower lip. She felt like such a fool. She hadn't meant to led on King Peter.

"So you are the Lady Elaria that Caspian was always talking about. I must say, they way he described you does not do you justice. You are very beautiful." King Peter said. Elaria smiled. She couldn't believe that Caspian had talked about her to the High King of Old.

"He has told you of me but I do not know much of you, other than that you are the High King of Old and the chosen one of Aslan himself." Elaria said as she walked away from the ledge of the view and sat down at the garden's bench. King Peter followed Elaria's led.

"I'm sure Caspian hadn't meant to keep knowledge from you. He is still settling into his new role as King. He has to deal with angry nobles of all ranks and a new kind of pressure. Not to stay alive but to find a bride." Elaria swallowed down the words that would've made her look like a fool in front of the High King.

"Yes. I know the pressure of becoming a King. Caspian promised me that becoming King would not affect our friendship, and I know he means it."

King Peter and Lady Elaria sat on the bench for the next hour, getting to know each other. King Peter shared with her, his experience on the battle field. Elaria shared with King Peter the gossip of the Telmarine Court. They laughed as they shared their stories of embarrassing moments of Caspian, both a child and as a leader on the battlefield. King Peter seemed to have pleasure in Elaria's company. They talked as though they were old friends.

"Elaria?" Caspian voice rang out. Elaria turned her head to the voice. A smile broke out when she saw her friend's face.

"Caspian. It is good to see you. Don't tell me you spent last night drunk, after I left you." Elaria said with a playful smile that Caspian had come to know and love. He shook his head.

"You undermine me. I have not drunk the sweetest wine that could cause me to act like a fool." Caspian said, walking around from the bushes and coming face to face with King Peter and Lady Elaria. He was a little stunned to see King Peter and Lady Elaria sitting so casually on the garden's bench.

"Peter? I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you would be sword fighting with Edmond, trying to see who the better swordsman is." Caspian said with a smile. He was annoyed that Peter was here in the garden with Elaria, in their special spot. He didn't show it, but it bothered him still.

"At last, Edmond is still sleeping. Best he try and sleep off the wine that he drank last night. Might I say he had a bit too much, though he was disagree with me." King Peter let out a half-hearted chuckle. Caspian couldn't help but break into a smile as well.

"That does sound like Edmond. Leave it to him to get drunk beyond remembering." Caspian laughed out.

"Caspian don't be so mean. King Edmond is not a boy anymore. I shall go wake him." Elaria said standing up from the bench and marching away without another word. King Peter was impressed by Lady Elaria's kind and caring nature. King Caspian on the other hand knew that he would have to deal with a upset Elaria.

"Dear Aslan, Elaria is going to kill me." Caspian muttered out. King Peter raised an eyebrow. He was very confused.

"Why is that my friend?"

"I know better than to underestimate the understanding that Elaria has with people. I know for so long. She is not going to be happy with me at our midday meal." Caspian sighed and walked back to the archway leading to the Castle. King Peter was left, standing in the garden marveling over Elaria's strong caring nature. He knew that Elaria barely knew his brother, other than the tales that everyone has heard, and yet she still stood up to defend him.

King Peter found a woman worth fighting with. He wanted to get to know her well. She was different from any other woman he knew, from Narnia and his world.

* * *

**Please don't forget to leave a review. No Flames. Thanks again. **


End file.
